The Switch
by dear-marauder
Summary: Sirius convinces James that Peter is the better choice for the Potters' Secret Keeper. One-sided S/J slash. T for language.


A/N: I have decided it is time to indulge my love for Sirius. Specifically, for Sirius being in love with James, because it's practically canon. I've also got this weird idea that Peter has a thing for James too, though I'm not sure when hero-worship turned into unrequited love in my head. Whatever, I'm going with it. I've been sitting on this story for months, and I think I'm finally happy with it. So, enjoy.

Sirius and James belong to the eternally brilliant J. K. Rowling.

* * *

Sirius sprawled on the bed in the Shrieking Shack, legs akimbo, one hand tucked under his head, the other twirling his wand. It was the perfect night for Marauding. There was a thunderstorm on, and nobody wanted to be out in it – not even Death Eaters. It was the safest he'd felt in months, so he didn't even flinch as James Apparated into the room with a crack.

"I haven't been here in ages," James said as he shook water out of his perpetually mussed hair, then wiped off the lenses of his glasses. He put them back on and surveyed the room. "Moony sure did a number on this place, didn't he?"

"We all did," Sirius replied. He nodded at something across the room. "I think I broke that chair over Peter's head."

"I remember," James said with a laugh. "Remus and I never did figure out what that row was about."

Sirius' wand faltered in its movement for just a moment. He remembered exactly what he and Peter had been rowing about that night, but he wasn't about to tell James.

"What are we here for anyway?"

Sirius sat up and tucked his wand back up the sleeve of his robes. "We're here because even the Death Eaters are afraid of the Shrieking Shack. Until Snivellus tells them that all the wailing was just Moony, anyway." James sighed and lowered himself into a mostly intact chair. Sirius stared at him for a second, chewing on his lower lip as he worked up the courage to say what needed to be said.

James raised an eyebrow. "Padfoot?"

"I want to talk to you about the Fidelius Charm."

"Don't tell me you're backing out on me, now," James said in mock seriousness.

Sirius frowned. He'd gone over this conversation a hundred times in his head, and it always ended with James agreeing and telling him how very clever he was, and that it was the best joke they'd ever played. But now that it was time to actually say the words, he couldn't for the life of him remember what they were.

"Sirius, what's the matter?"

"Use Peter," he blurted out.

James frowned. "Use Peter?" he echoed. "But why? Do you not want to do it anymore?"

"Of course I want to do it," snapped Sirius. "Which is why you should use Peter. Everyone and their krup will be expecting _me_ to be your Secret Keeper. They know us. James and Sirius; Padfoot and Prongs. We're famous."

"I think you mean 'infamous,'" James said with a chuckle.

Sirius didn't laugh. "What's more, they know how I feel, and that I'd do anything to keep you safe. They'll come after me straight away."

James leaned forward, suddenly somber. "I know, Padfoot, and I'm sorry. If you want to get out, of course you can. We can ask Remus or Mad-Eye to do it. And we don't have to do it right away."

Sirius gave a wordless growl and tugged at his hair. He was saying this all wrong, and James was, as usual, acting like he was invincible. Stupid man. Wonderful, frustrating, stupid man.

"Of course you have to do it right away, you idiot. Dumbledore said to hide, so you're bloody well going to hide."

James looked taken aback by the vehemence in Sirius' voice.

"Now, listen to me, you manky git; you're going to perform the Fidelius Charm tonight and you're going to use Peter as your Secret Keeper."

"But why Peter? He's…well, to put it bluntly, he's half-way to a Squib. What if that fouls it up?"

"It won't."

"But still, if not you, why not Remus? He's the most steadfast of us all."

"Remus would hold out as long as possible, yes. But he doesn't have the motivation that I do, or that Peter does."

James still looked confused.

Sirius threw his hands up in the air. "Peter's in love with you too, you idiot."

"Peter? No!" James said, waving his hands in the air as if that would push the idea away.

"Yes, Peter. That's why I broke the ruddy chair over his head." He stood and began to pace. "Just listen to me, James. This plan makes the most sense.

"You make Peter your Secret Keeper. Everyone will think it's me, of course, so the Death Eaters will search me out. I know how to stay hidden, so it'll take them a long time to find me. And by the time they've realized that I'm not your Secret Keeper, Dumbledore will have had time to get you someplace safer than Godric's Hollow."

James nodded slowly. "That does sound sensible. But I still don't understand why it has to be Peter."

Sirius turned and looked James directly in the eyes for the first time that evening. "Because I know what it's like to be desperately in love with you, and so does Peter; he would rather die that give you up – I'm sure of that."

James shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Sirius, I – "

Sirius held up a hand. "We've been over this, remember? You've got Lily. I can't be angry at you for feeling the same way about her as I feel about you. And you've got Harry, which is just amazing. You have to protect them, and Peter and I are going to help you."

James ran a hand through his hair, then said hesitantly, "Have you talked with Peter about this?"

"Of course not. I had to talk to you first. Besides, I thought you should be the one to tell him."

James nodded. He leaned his chair back on two legs as he considered, then he looked up at Sirius. "We'll do it."

Sirius' shoulders sagged in relief. "You will?"

"I need to make sure Lily is okay with it first, but if she doesn't object, we'll make Peter our Secret Keeper."

"Excellent!" Sirius clapped a hand on James' shoulder. "You want to go out and do some Marauding, then? Go up the tunnel to the school? We can harass the Fat Lady and set off dungbombs in the corridors. It'll be just like old times."

James laughed. "As brilliant as that sounds, I'd better be getting back. I need time to discuss this with Lily."

"I understand."

James stood, and then threw his arms around Sirius. Sirius was taken aback. Other than the time he'd asked Sirius to be Harry's godfather, James hadn't been that free with his affections since their sixth year at Hogwarts, when he'd realized that Sirius was in love with him. He wrapped his arms around James, amazed that even at a time like this, when they had to look around every corner before speaking, and second-guess even their closest friends, even when it was likely that none of them would live to see the next day and the entire world seemed to be falling down around them, he still wanted nothing more than to be close to James.

He forced himself to pull away.

"I'm assuming you'll go on the run?" said James. "To try and draw them off?"

"First thing tomorrow, as soon as I know you've done the charm."

"Where will you go?"

Sirius shrugged. "I don't know exactly. I won't be far, though. I'll check in with Peter, make sure you're all okay."

James nodded; his eyes were too wide and Sirius suspected he was trying not to cry. They both knew there was a good chance that they'd never see each other again.

Sirius backed away, readying himself to Disapparate, but he couldn't break eye contact with James. There, standing in midst of the broken-down room, was everything he loved most. And, oh what the hell?

He strode forward and, gathering the front of James' robes in his fist, crushed his lips against James'. James entire body went rigid, as if, even at the last moment, he wasn't expecting _this_. But then Sirius felt him relax, and his lips softened. He wasn't quite kissing back, but he wasn't protesting either, and somebody must have started crying, because now Sirius could taste salt, and it was all wrong – everything about this was wrong.

It shouldn't be James who was being hunted like an animal, and it shouldn't be Wormtail who got to protect him, and really they should all just be fifteen again, and sneaking out of the castle to buy Fanged Frisbees from Zonko's, with the upcoming O.W.L.s the biggest worry on their minds.

But they weren't fifteen, and Voldemort would be coming, which meant Sirius had to go. He pulled away from James and, eyes still closed, Disapparated.


End file.
